The beautiful Julia and the handsome Charles Lin set off.
They carried with them a dream from twenty years ago, along with the last reserves of passion left in their bodies.
Even before leaving, Julia still couldn't fully let go of her worries about the ham shop. Although she wasn't the owner, she had managed it for years.
"Trust me, Mom. The shop won't collapse just because you're gone. And they've got Sergio Ramos as their spokesperson—Sergio Ramos!"
"However many fans follow him in Spain, that's how many people will be willing to buy the ham he endorses."
"Just relax and travel. I guarantee the shop won't suffer any losses because you're away."
Leo Lin's final reassurance finally convinced Julia.
Their first stop was naturally China. Charles Lin hauled bulky luggage, while Julia held onto his arm, a long-lost smile finally returning to her face.
At the airport, the two waved goodbye to Leo Lin and began a world tour of unknown length.
In addition to the £1 million he had given Julia, Leo Lin also handed Charles Lin a bank card—also loaded with €1 million.
"Dad, I only have one requirement."
"We stay in the best hotels, eat the most expensive food, buy the nicest clothes, and use the best transportation."
"If we're going to enjoy ourselves, we do it properly—boldly and in style."
Charles Lin thumped his chest and promised,
"Leave it to me!"
"If your mom feels even the slightest bit unhappy, I'll take full responsibility!"
Julia hadn't truly experienced life in a long time. That, in itself, was a mistake—because only those who dare to live can truly feel joy.
After taking care of matters at home, Leo Lin returned to Liverpool to resume training.
Not long after, Mike brought him some good news.
"Congratulations. To commemorate your U17 World Cup victory, we've prepared a surprise for you."
"We want you to inspire Liverpool's academy players to keep growing, so we're going to display the jersey you wore in the U17 World Cup final on Liverpool's Wall of Champions!"
At first, Leo Lin didn't quite understand—he had no idea what this so-called Wall of Champions was.
It wasn't until he arrived at Liverpool's academy that he saw it for himself: the cleanest, brightest corridor in the entire complex, and also the most revered place among Liverpool players.
This corridor connected the academy buildings to the training grounds. The lights were kept on twenty-four hours a day, illuminating the match jerseys worn by Liverpool's greatest legends in their most important games.
Every Liverpool legend you could think of was represented on these walls.
There was Steven Gerrard's shirt from the Miracle of Istanbul, and also goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek's jersey from that same night, when he saved the decisive penalty.
In fact, the jerseys of the Miracle of Istanbul starting lineup formed the backbone of the display, alongside those of several legendary managers.
There were also jerseys worn by players who had delivered outstanding performances in crucial international tournaments, displayed as recognition of their contributions to their national teams.
Liverpool had always upheld one principle: a player's worth was not determined solely by their club performances—what they achieved with their national team mattered just as much.
"Many Liverpool fans call this place the Legend Corridor," Mike explained. "But the players prefer to call it the Wall of Champions—because only the jerseys of true legends are allowed to hang here."
"For every Liverpool player, having their jersey displayed on these walls is the ultimate goal."
"When Klopp first joined the club, the very first place he came to was here. He said that his ambition was to leave behind a jersey of his own on this wall one day."
Hearing this, Leo Lin was even more stunned. Given his current level, he felt he clearly wasn't qualified for such an honor.
"We're not hanging your Liverpool jersey," Mike continued. "We're hanging your Spain U17 championship jersey."
"So you won't be featured on the Wall of Champions as a Liverpool player, but as an outstanding young talent."
"Our goal is to use your U17 World Cup-winning jersey to inspire more young players to grow. That's why we're willing to make an exception for you."